Marijuana cocktails in West Hollywood
Jason Eisner takes a step into the cannabis culture of Los Angeles by offering marijuana cocktails at Gracias Madre, the organic Mexican restaurant in West Hollywood, and at its Gratitude branch in Newport Beach.
The cocktails use an organic 100% cannabinoid oil and customers do not need to present a medical marijuana card but they must be of legal drinking age.
The essence of the tincture used in the cocktails is CBD, the cannabinoid with medicinal anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and antipsychotic effects. This specific CBD is extracted from the stem of the cannabis plant, allowing it to be sold in health food stores rather than dispensaries.
The tincture has a delicious creamy flavor, adding richness to the cocktail and creating a warm and somewhat diffused sensation.
The 3 cocktails created are:
Stoney Negroni. It's made with equal parts gin, vermouth, and Amaro, but Jason uses the Contratto aperitif instead of Campari, which has a similar bittersweet flavor but a lower alcohol content, so this version of the classic cocktail doesn't pack a punch on the first sip. A heaping tablespoon of port helps balance the bitter and herbaceous notes, while the CBD tincture adds a rounded character to the drink.
Rolled Fashioned. It contains aged mezcal and bourbon. It has just the right amount of spice and alcohol thanks to the combination of the base spirits and a touch of sarsaparilla syrup and CBD oil. The Rolled Fashioned is a kind of Old Fashioned with a hint of cinnamon. The drink is finished with a side of homemade vegan churros, served in a small bag attached to the glass with a mini clothespin.
Sour T-diesel. It's a variation of the Tequila Sour, enhanced not only with CBD oil but also with a vegan egg substitute called aquafaba. Both are blended with other ingredients (blanco tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, mint and sage leaves, and a pinch of salt) using an immersion blender before being strained into a glass. It's garnished with a matcha green tea leaf for a refreshing sensation with every sip.
Fountain: Today, Los Angeles